Wiper blade coupling structure

Abstract

A windshield wiper blade holder for attachment to a wiper arm of the side mounting type comprises a primary yoke member having a rigid central portion formed with a socket extending transversely through it to receive a side pin on the end of the wiper arm, and formed in and along its under side with a recess having fitted thereinto a resilient latch member which is formed as a unitary molding of a tough polymeric material and is assembled simply by being pressed into the recess until protrusions at one end of the latch member are anchored in a pocket to one side of the socket. A block-like abutment portion of the latch member is held resiliently in a cavity across the socket so that the abutment portion can be displaced downward by an arm side pin thrust into the socket and then will engage in a groove of the side pin to couple the blade holder with the wiper arm. An up-standing finger on the other end of the latch member extends through a passageway to the upper side of the yoke member and can be pressed downward to depress the abutment portion out of the groove of the side pin, thus enabling removal of the blade holder from the wiper arm.

I claim: 
     
       1. A windshield wiper blade holder including a primary yoke having means on a central portion thereof for coupling it with a windshield wiper arm; said central portion being quite rigid;   said coupling means comprising a socket extending transversely through said central portion to receive slidably the side pin of a wiper arm end of the side mounting type, an elongate recess formed in and along the under side of said central portion, said recess comprising a pocket inside said central portion to one side of said socket and a cavity extending across said socket, and a resilient elongate latch member formed as a unitary molding of a tough polymeric material and fitting in said recess;   said latch member comprising anchor means on an end thereof extending into and engaging with a wall of said pocket to anchor the latch member in place and an abutment portion which is normally seated in said cavity, is displaceable elastically by said side pin pressed into said socket and is reseatable by the resilience of said latch member to engage in a groove of said side pin; said latch member further comprising a protruding portion movable to displace said abutment portion elastically out of said groove to free said side pin for removal of the blade holder from the wiper arm, a resilient arm portion connecting said abutment portion with said anchor means and a rigid arm portion connecting said abutment portion with said protruding portion so that by downward pressure on said protruding portion said resilient arm portion is elastically deflectable downward with displacement of said abutment portion from said cavity;   said pocket comprising a mouth portion leading into a wider chamber thereover;   said anchor means comprising resilient upward protrusions spaced apart on said latch member end and formed at their outer sides with end surfaces sloped toward ledges thereunder, said protrusions being convergeable elastically by forced movement of said sloped end surfaces into said mouth portion and being anchored in said chamber by engagement of said ledges against a wall of said chamber bordering said mouth portion.   
     
     
       2. A wiper blade holder according to claim 1, said central portion having in one side thereof an opening extending into said chamber and through which the ends of said protrusions are accessible for converging them to free said latch member for removal from said recess. 
     
     
       3. A windshield wiper blade holder including a primary yoke having means on a central portion thereof for coupling it with a windshield wiper arm; said central portion being quite rigid;   said coupling means comprising a socket extending transversely through said central portion to receive slidably the side pin of a wiper arm end of the side mounting type, an elongate recess formed in and along the under side of said central portion, said recess comprising a pocket inside said central portion to one side of said socket and a cavity extending across said socket, and a resilient elongate latch member formed as a unitary molding of a tough polymeric material and fitting in said recess;   said latch member comprising anchor means on an end thereof extending into and engaging with a wall of said pocket to anchor the latch member in place and an abutment portion which is normally seated in said cavity, is displaceable elastically by a said side pin pressed into said socket and is reseatable by the resilience of said latch member to engage in a groove of said side pin; said latch member further comprising a protruding portion movable to displace said abutment portion elastically out of said groove to free said side pin for removal of the blade holder from the wiper arm, a resilient arm portion connecting said abutment portion with said anchor means and a rigid arm portion connecting said abutment portion with said protruding portion so that by downward pressure on said protruding portion said resilient arm portion is elastically deflectable downward with displacement of said abutment portion from said cavity;   said recess comprising, to the opposite side of said socket, a passageway extending through said central portion to its upper side; said protruding portion comprising an upstanding finger on the other end of said latch member, said finger extending through said passageway to said upper side; said finger being connected rigidly with said abutment portion and said abutment portion being connected with said anchor means by said resilient arm portion so that by downward pressure on either said abutment portion or the upper end of said finger said abutment portion is elastically displaceable downward out of said socket;   said pocket comprising a mouth portion leading into a wider chamber thereover; said anchor means comprising resilient upward protrusions spaced apart on said latch member end and formed at their outer sides with end surfaces sloped toward ledges thereunder, said protrusions heing convergable elastically by forced movement of said sloped end surfaces into said mouth portion and being anchored in said chamber by engagement of said ledges against a wall of said chamber bordering said mouth portion.